Judaism: a Supplemental Resource for Grade 12 World of Religions: a Canadian Perspective 3 Q the Original Name for the People We Now Call Jews Was Hebrews
Introduction What Is Judaism? A Brief Summary Judaism originated in the Middle East over 3500 years ago and is the original, or first, of the three Abrahamic faiths, which also include Christianity and Islam. The three share a common origin that flows from a biblical figure known as Abraham, the worship of the God of Abraham, and the practices of the ancient Israelites. However, Abraham’s role and place in each faith is different. In Judaism, he is the founder of the Covenant, the special relationship between the Jewish people and God. In Christianity, he is the model for all believers, Jewish or not. In Islam, he is seen as being one link in a chain of prophets that began with Adam and culminated in Muhammad. Jews believe that Abraham discovered that there was one God, thus introducing the concept of monotheism. This established an individual covenant (bond, special relationship) with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their families to further spiritual teachings that would be later identified with Jewish religious tradition. This individual covenant became a national covenant, when the Jewish collectively received the Torah at Mount Sinai. According to Jewish tradition and history, this occurred after Moses led the Jewish people to freedom from slavery in Egypt. (Source: Multifaith Information Manual) Some key aspects of Jewish faith include the following: Q Jews believe that there is only one God, with whom they have a covenant. Q As God chose to reveal the Torah and righteous values and practices, Jewish people choose to keep God’s laws and try to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives.
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